Vortex/nightforce BDC question

So I am in process of getting my rifle re-barreled and in the interim have been trying to educate myself about a new scope. I shot a nightforce last weekend and really liked the hashmarked recticle. I was just about set on a Vortex scope but the website shows recticles I may not enjoy as much as the Nightforce.
Has anyone had an issue using the Vortex hashmarks not being adequate?
My other question. Is the hashmarks on either scope only accurate to advertised compensation on max magnification? If I choose to shoot at 500 yards on 12X will the hashmarks be helpful at all? Or should I just ignore the hashmarks and just dial in the turret?

Just as a side note my background is to shoot instinctive with a duplex 4-10X leupold. Last weekend a friend of mine dialed in his turret to 700 yards as 3 range finders agreed. He shot low. After dialing into 740 he started hitting the rock we were aiming at. He was all pissed of about how the range finders were cheap and not right. I dialed in my gut feeling of elevation and nailed it. I want to become more accurate than my gut feeling, but after seeing my friend miss several times this weekend I wonder if it will give me a handicap if I get too trusting of the turret like my friend.
Anyone have advice or experience to help me figure out what to spend my hard earned money on?

The hash marks will only be accurate at one power setting on a sfp(second focal plane) scope. They will be accurate at all power settings on a FFP (first focal plane) scope. They cost more $$ though.

Tough to tell why your friend missed at 700 yds. could be many different reasons. What was he using to determine the come ups? was the ground level or was the shot up hill/ down hill. Were the weather and elevation the same as when he sighted his rifle? Was he using the same ammo as he sighted with? did he actually chrono his bullet or get some type of published velocity?

I think getting a good system and learning how to use it will out shoot "gut shooting" everyday especially at long range. If your shooting targets that's one thing if your hunting a gut feeling is not the way to go.

Thanks for the info. My friend, I am sure, did not take altitude, temp, or angle of incline into account. He is a nice guy and I was surprised to see him shoot his gun cause despite all his verbal confindence in his gun, he rarely shows it. I just hope to have better results than him if I were to get into the turret and high end scope relm. I really liked the nightforce scope, I can't stop thinking of how satisfied I was with it. As a side note, I also shot a 300WinMag with a muzzle break. HOLY COW! It defused half the recoil. I have never shot a functional break, I am sold! I just hope the smith is compenent in that item. If I end up with a nightforce and muzzle break I won't have any more excuses, I will just have to shoot more.

I have to disagree with part of pills post. He is correct that the FFP is good at all powers but the SFP can be as well. If you look at the front side of the power ring it states 1x, 2x,3x,4x, which is the power magnifier on a 6X24 PST at 24 power the hash marks are i believe 2 moa (not sure), if you turn it to 12 power the hash marks wold be equal to 4 moa and so on 8 power 6 moa, 6 power 8 moa.

Nightforce are great scopes no dought about it, but don't look past the PST, they are a very good scope as well, Sightron SIII in a 8X32 with the moa-2 reticle maybe another one to look at